SHINee“s been a busy, busy group this year, knocking out comeback after comeback with very little time for breaks in between- so much so that it seems like “Dream Girl“, their first video of 2013, came out much earlier than it actually did. The video features all five guys navigating a strange, topsy-turvy dream world while chasing a faceless girl in a painting through rooms where time and gravity have no meaning.

Love was in the air, as the stars updated fans with Valentine’s treats. See the sweet in today’s Twitter Roundup.

Girl’s Day Minah tweeted a photo of her Valentine’s Day treat on February 14, writing “I received chocolate, but huk…! The universe… I love stars so much these days…Is there anyone else who came from the stars…”

Miss A’s Jia tweeted a photo on Valentine’s Day as well, writing “HVD~ Have a good day~^^. I’m going to spend it with my ‘boyfriend’ too~ㅠㅠ. My ‘boyfriend’ is too tall~ Or am I too short?ㅋ.”

Suspicions about DMJ has turned South Korea upside down. DMJ is arrested under the suspicion of kidnapping CSY. SY is worried about DMJ that’s why she doesn’t want to leave his side but the moment she’s away, DMJ’s body starts to have abnormal reactions and collapses onto the ground.

Notes on a Scandal: What Can SM Entertainment Learn from 2014? Written by Kelsey On July 30, 2014

All is not well in the house of SM Entertainment. To be fair, 2014 thus far has given us a host of scandals across the entertainment companies, but SM has had more than a full plate of controversies, most of which have been handled really, really poorly.

I’m sure the big wigs in the management offices have asked each other the question we’re mulling over now: how can so many things go wrong in a such a short time period?

With the Hallyu wave spreading all around Asia, many celebrities from South Korea have gained additional popularity from such nations as Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, China, and more. Though China has Facebook and YouTube restricted, their Chinese version of Twitter – Weibo – has been an alternative source for K-Pop stars to interact with their fans.

MBC Star designed a chart showcasing the top 10 Korean celebrities with the most followers in China via Weibo accounts. Created by Lee Jooyoung, the image shows a bar graph with the ten most popular stars through Weibo floating above their numbers, in which the top criteria includes the highest number of 250,000 followers.

If you didn’t get the memo earlier (where have you been?), BIGBANG invites you to participate in a fun event where you can win a free trip to Korea.

We have previously covered four non-Korean celebrities who had a chance to go on the To:ur Imagination tour with custom itineraries. Scroll through the page for a refresher on the different itineraries. Otherwise, scroll to the very end of the article to vote for your favorite!

Sunhwa, member of girl group Secret, will be playing a lead role in TV drama, only about a year after she started acting. Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, reported yesterday that she will be in for upcoming weekend drama, tentatively named “Rosy Couples”, on broadcaster MBC. The new drama is scheduled to air in October on weekends. She is said to play the character named Baek Jang-mi, a college student from a healthy family who never had to go through any troubles in life. She is currently on “Marriage Over Love” on cable channel tvN drama.

Now halfway through the drama, MBC’s “Fated to Love You” is gathering much attention for the wittiness of their choice in background music (BGM). Many of these were soundtracks used in previous dramas and films that add to the comical nature of a scene. Out of the countless number of tracks used, fans picked the BEST SIX. Do you know any of them?

Episode 1: “Chuno” OST – “Change” by Gloomy 30s

In the first episode of the drama, there was a scene where Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) took off the jacket of his suit to get rid of the large dog that had been chasing after him. During this scene, the song, “Change” by the Gloomy 30s got played. This added to the hilarity of the scene because the song that had been used to increase the tension of the action scenes in “Chuno” was used while Jang Hyuk was running away from a dog. The track inevitably created the connection between Jang Hyuk’s character in “Fated to Love You” and his character from “Chuno.” This was a nice attention-gatherer for the first episode, as it became the scene of interest that viewers focused on in the drama’s first episode.

Gag Concert and Foreigners: Not A Good Mix Written by Gaya On August 17, 2014

Gag Concert has a grand history as the longest running comedy show on South Korean television. Beginning in 1999, Gag Concert has managed to keep up with a rotating cast of comedians and new and newer skits. As a sketch comedy show, Gag Concert comprises of “corners” featuring certain scenarios, like Bboom Entertainment and Discoveries of Life. These skits have been retired, though, to make way for new material. And that new material is this (Note: video may not be viewable in your country):

Spotlight: Park Yoochun, The Successful Idol-Turned-Actor Written by Joyce On September 3, 2014

With his boyish grin and smiley eyes, one would have expected Yoochun to always stick to the role of Prince Charming in rom-coms. Compared to thrillers and melodramas, rom-coms are much easier to navigate for an actor coming from the music scene. But instead, Yoochun has taken it upon himself to challenge his abilities beyond that of a mere flower boy, by selecting projects from a variety of genres such as action thriller Three Days, melodrama Missing You, and now, the at-sea film Sea Fog.

Screen shots of films screened at local theaters during the Chuseok holiday season. From top left: “My Brilliant Life“, “Tazza: The High Rollers 2“, “The King of Jokgu” and “Hill of Freedom“. From bottom left: “Lucy”, “Step Up: All In”, “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita in the New Haunts of Evil – Peko and the Five Explorers” and “Maya the Bee Movie”.

After the period action film “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” broke box office records nationwide, this Chuseok will be quieter than usual in terms of heavyweight releases – especially compared to 2012 and 2013. For the past two years, big-budget costume films such as “The Face Reader” (2013) and “Masquerade” (2012) hit cinemas around Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving. This year, however, there are no widely anticipated movies coming to the box office in time for the annual holiday. But there are plenty of alternative options, ranging from action movies to dramas to quality art-house flicks, which are sure to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Chuseok has always been a good time to head to the cinema as it is relatively less crowded at theaters during the long holiday period.For those who have decided to stay in the city instead of visiting their hometown or making an overseas trip, the Korea JoongAng Daily has come up with a list of the movies screening at local cinemas during the five-day holiday, which begins Saturday. Star-filled domestic films“Tazza: The High Rollers 2““Tazza: The High Rollers 2” may be the closest thing to a special “Chuseok film” this year with its starry cast, lighthearted storyline and tons of laughs.The sequel to 2006 box office hit “The War Of Flower” features Choi Seung-hyeon, better known as T.O.P from K-pop band Big Bang. Choi plays Dae-gil, the nephew of the good-natured male lead from the Tazza prequel, Goni, who had an innate talent for the Korean card game hwatu. Dae-gil is an ambitious young man and is also a hwatu natural, a skill he discovers when his genuine love for Mi-na (Sin Se-kyeong) leads him into the world of dangerous gambling.With their risque wardrobes, Sin and fellow female cast member Lee Honey, a beauty pageant-turned-actress, are sure to lure some males to the cinema. Actors Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Yoon-seok from the first feature also reappear as sidekicks in the film.“My Brilliant Life“Faithfully based on Kim Ae-ran“s 2011 novel of the same title, “My Brilliant Life” features some of the nation”s best-known actors, Kang Dong-won and Song Hye-kyo, as a young, married couple.The film is centered on their child, Ah-reum, and his terminal illness, progeria – a rare genetic disorder that causes premature aging. Ah-reum is only 16 years old, but his physical age surpasses 80. Each character in the family endures hardship as a result of the disease – from making ends meet to dealing with deep wrinkles as a teenager – but they never lose hope.The film is sad, but it brings tears to your eyes in a heartwarming way. It incorporates the themes of family, hope and happiness, and, by the time the movie finishes, viewers will have discovered a new appreciation for life.Visual treats from Hollywood“Lucy”After a line of Hollywood summer movies that featured non-human heros such as apes, transforming cars and turtle ninjas, Luc Besson”s latest action flick “Lucy” will show us some of our favorite Hollywood stars, including Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, in more straightforward roles. In “Lucy”, viewers will also get a glimpse of Korean actor Choi Min-sik playing a villainous role as a mob boss.The movie is based on the old adage that humans only use 10 percent of their brains. But what happens if the brain functions at its fullest? The film explores the catastrophic situation this could result in.The film”s titular lead, played by Johansson, is a blue-eyed, pretty party girl who gets kidnapped by a Korean gangster and is forced to smuggle drugs in her stomach. While on the airplane, Lucy is beaten by members of another gang. The drugs dissolve into her abdomen, leading her brain to function at a higher capacity. “Step Up: All In”This is the “Step Up” series” fifth installment, and just like with many ongoing film franchises, it”s better not to get your hopes up too much about it. In the case of this dance flick, at least, the sharply coordinated choreography and the head-nodding beats and grooves will give viewers a thrill. The movie is also being released with 3-D effects, so the experience will get even more exciting. “All In” picks up from the fourth “Step Up” film, where the crew gained recognition by uploading videos of their flash mobs to YouTube. The team flies to Los Angeles and Las Vegas from their hometown of Miami, for a turn on a bigger stage. Some familiar faces from the second and third series, such as Adam G. Sevani, also make appearances. Authentic indie movies“Hill of Freedom“Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo“s latest romance movie has a serene, laid-back vibe and is an apt choice for couples or indie movie aficionados alike.In a testament to its quality, “Hill of Freedom” recently screened at the ongoing Venice International Film Festival.The movie draws upon the quest of Japanese teacher Mori, played by Ryo Kase, who returns to Korea to find the woman he loved years ago. During his stay in Seoul, Mori wanders around Bukchon, a neighborhood located in central Seoul that boasts its tranquil atmosphere and a historical background.Mori fails to track down the woman, who goes by her surname, Kwon, so instead he writes letters to her about his daily life from Hill of Freedom, a cafe owned by Young-sun (Moon So-ri).There are no dramatic or emotional moments throughout the film, which is expected considering Hong”s past record. But the nonchalant approach to ordinary people”s lives is the film”s strong point, just like always in the director”s understated movies. If you”re tired of gaudy commercial movies, this feature is for you. “The King of Jokgu“It”s not a comedy, nor a sports flick: “The King of Jokgu“, crafted by rookie director Woo Moon-gi, encompasses humor, drama, satire and romance – all in its slightly more than 100-minute running time.Man-sub has just returned to university after completing his military service, which is mandatory in Korea for most men, and finds out that the jokgu, or foot volleyball, court was removed in his absence. As a result, the former jokgu champion appeals to his university”s chancellor to build a new court instead of worrying about his GPA score, which is remarkably low. Every one of his peers spends their days building up their so-called “specs”, qualities, skills or test scores that they hope will lead to a good job, while all Man-sub wants to do is play jokgu and date a pretty girl. The offbeat plot line and humor of “The King of Jokgu” brings laughter while satirizing the sad reality of a life focused on work, with no love and passion. Animated featuresDoraemon the Movie: Nobita in the New Haunts of Evil – Peko and the Five ExplorersThe character may be older than most parents of the children who will be watching the new movie at cinemas, but Doraemon”s everlasting popularity among kids is not about to fade anytime soon. The latest feature-length version of the “Doraemon” animation is a remake of the 1982 film “Nobita and the Haunts of Evil”, in which Nobita and Doraemon take off on an adventure to an unknown land only to find the kingdom”s dogs being exploited by an evil minister. The Doraemon crew then try to save the kingdom from evil. “Maya the Bee Movie”The animation owes its adventurous and heroic plotline to the eponymous children”s book written by the famous German writer Waldemar Bonsels. It”s been reproduced in films and TV series many times, but this is the first time the film has been recreated with 3-D effects.The story is about the young honeybee Maya, who is always curious, friendly, adventurous and willing to help others. While once considered a problematic bee at the hive, later he comes to save the community from villains.

5 Idols Who Should Support NOH8 Written by Camiele On September 9, 2014

The world at large has been blanketed in a great deal of ugliness this year—from overt and aggressive racism, to rampant genocide. The world of K-pop has also been dealt heavy blows, very little of which has to do with the music. In the wake of all this sadness and inexplicable hatred, there’s at least been one small step for progress and equality. In countries such as Japan, France, England, and an increasing number of states in the US, we’ve seen the fight for marriage equality begin to prevail. One can only wonder if it will ever reach South Korea.

Following the Top 8 Mukbang Online Streamers on Afreeca TV feature on allkpop buzz, we found 9 popular mukbang idols and groups who are known for the way they deliciously gulp down their food. Disregarding their agency”s warnings to maintain the stereotypical idol image, these idols are not afraid to chow down and basically lose their rationality when it comes to food.

Jessica Jung: An Ice Princess Dethroned, But A Queen Ignited Written by Nabeela On October 3, 2014

If you never thought you’d see the day that SNSD stood proud as nine members strong, I’m afraid to say that the curtain has been called on that fluffy pink and candy coated dream. This week has been one of the most tumultuous and emotional weeks for K-pop fans around the globe, as both Jessica of SNSD and SM Entertainment have come forward to announce her departure from the ever-beloved SNSD. To bring everything full circle, let’s recap on the events that have unfolded in the last few days.

Updated cast and added stills for the upcoming Korean drama “Rosy Lovers” (2014)Directed by Yoon Jae-moonWritten by Kim Sa-kyeongNetwork : MBCWith Lee Jang-woo, Sunhwa, Park Sang-won, Lee Mi-sook, Han Ji-sang, Yoon Ah-jeong,…SynopsisA drama about the recovery of the protagonist after a major setback in life and about a family seeking hope.Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2014/10